


By the light of the lava

by TheAncientWizard



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Mustafar (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:29:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23281774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAncientWizard/pseuds/TheAncientWizard
Summary: Set in the early scenes of The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo Ren, the Supreme leader, has heard a sinister message from the late Emperor Palpatine. He searches for the wayfinder, however, what if instead he came across the one ghost who could save his soul?
Kudos: 7





	By the light of the lava

**Author's Note:**

> So this is just a small one-shot but I hope you enjoy!

The Supreme leader held out his arm, and with the force, the black ominous doors of Vader's Castle moved inwards, leaving enough room for him to stride through. A large room stood in front of him, the dark side was strong here he thought, maybe, after Palpatine has been defeated once again, he may abide in the solitude of the fortress.

  
In the corner of his eye, stairs loomed in the dark, disappearing into a void of blackness. He ignited the lightsaber, it cracked and spat as he moved across the open space. The shadows around him took an array shapes, whether it was from the light of his unstable lightsaber, or remnants of the past, he wasn't sure. He walked up, into the spiralling darkness, only now visible under a deep crimson colour. A grey room appeared before him that contrasted against the previous darkness, but it was still only illuminated by his lightsaber and the windows, their transparency allowing the brightness of the lava outside to penetrate it. Kylo Ren felt closest to his grandfather here, its like he was stood with him, shrouded in his evilness; the only light that he felt was shards of his own past. Using the force he felt his way around, searching for the wayfinder and the strong sith energy it emitted. His intuition pulled him to the large chest directly in the centre of the room, ebony, with a heavy lock. The mighty lightsaber was held above his head for a moment, before he pulled it across the lock, causing it to fall into two pieces, glowing yellow from the hot blade. He ripped the lid off revealing, the very thing he needed, the wayfinder, that fit so neatly in his hand. He stared at the green light that mingled with the red, he imagined it would be darker and more sinister but it just glowed green, the colour of life. The key to the universe was in his hand, an evil smirk drew across his face. Then the guilt seeped through the cracks of his tormented mind, his face fell, weariness and regret smothered his features, he didn't care to rule the galaxy, but there was no way back. He had gone too far, at least, if he moves forward, he contemplated, his life will end at the business end of a lightsaber, or maybe in an explosion. Either way, he'll be gone, painfully, yet still less painful then atoning for his sins. Morality had lost it's meaning a long time ago.

"Ben." A pained voice spoke.

Kylo Ren spun on his heels with his lightsaber pointed at the ghost, he was young, maybe younger than himself, sporting curly hair and dark jedi robes. "Who are you?" he announced, knowing who it was, however by proving ignorance, it presented his status as Supreme Leader.

"You already know, _my grandson_." 

"Vader." he turned off his lightsaber and dropped to one knee with his head bowed, in respect. His black hair fell in front of his face, his eyes attentively watching the blue figure. Kylo Ren held the lightsaber loosely at his side as he was no longer threatened by its presence.

"No! Anakin Skywalker!" Screaming with sith-like anger, he really was Darth Vader _._ "I have tried to reach out to you since you were a child, but the pull to the dark in you was too strong. You remind me of myself, struggling between my destiny and my desires. You are not alone, you were never alone, Ben. I was the reassuring warmth in the cold nights ." Anakin pleaded with the man, he loved him despite never laying his own eyes on him. It was an unconditional love, but he couldn't hide his disappointment in what he'd become, the dark part of Anakin he idolised.

"I am not like you. I do not allow love to cloud my judgement, I have already surpassed you." he spat, he didn't want to go back, not if it meant facing what he'd done, inside Kylo Ren was weak. It was better to live as a coward.

"Love is what drove me to the dark side, to try to prevent my wife from dying. My son, he saved me, I am trying to do the same for you. I see your actions Ben, you were not able to kill my daughter or your dyad, there is still hope." It almost seemed like tears were forming in his widened eyes.

"My dyad?" 

"It is a prophecy, as old as the chosen one, your energy fractured and was absorbed by another being, it was when you first knew the struggle within. The force needed a balance and it made her powerful from your energy. You are both one in the force."

"Rey." It felt right, she was strong and the way they fought together, the way they connected, it was like they were one in the same.

"Yes, you have compassion for her. Love is your path, Ben. Love in the way I was denied." 

"By the Jedi Order." 

"Before Luke became the last of the Jedi, he has cared for it in the way I would have wanted." He smiled at the thought of his son, they were together now, his strength matched his mother's. He only wished his son trusted himself more. 

Luke. Something broke in Kylo Ren, he snapped in half. He remembered his uncle holding him tight when he cried for his mother, the excited grin that would appear every time Ben learnt a new skill and his joy that rippled through the force, the Jedi Master who had once been his hero. A memory took over his mind.

_It was night, Ben, merely ten years old, hugged his knees in front of a small fire, his face wet and his eyes red._

_"Hey kid."_ _Luke sat opposite him, the fire glowing in between them both. The child looked away. Smiling, Luke closed his eyes, his hands resting on his knees, all around him small sticks rose in the air and began floating towards the fire. Ben looked back at Luke in wonder as all the twigs dropped into the fire, the yellow flames flickered and grew taller._ _As he reopened his eyes, he said softly, "You don't have to be scared. It's just about control."_

_"Then why is mother scared?" The young Solo frowned, letting go of his legs and peering at the jedi master through the fire._

_"She's not, she just worries because she loves you so much."_

_"She is! I told her it was an accident, I didn't mean to do...that."_

_"It's okay, it's not your fault." Luke laughed, reassuringly. He could feel his pain, he didn't want to hurt anyone, he was a kind boy but reckless, like Han._

_"I just miss her and my father, do you think they miss me?" asked Ben, more curious than upset, placing his hands in the soft blades of grass._

_"I can feel it," he said, trying to inspire fascination in him, "come here, I'll show you how." Luke held out his hands and they were quickly met by the small palms of Ben Solo._

_There they sat together, his uncle showed him kindness, like he did so many times. The fire dwindled as Ben found peace, he found his parents, across the stars, they were with him, and he was with them. He aspired to be as kind as Luke and as strong like him too. He wanted to make him proud._

The memory ceased, it had only been a split second but it felt longer than that. 

"It's too late. There is no way back, Ben Solo is dead." He was crying and his voice cracked with every word. He thought of the little boy, the child that would never want to hurt his family, he wanted to be him again.

Widening his eyes, Anakin expressed hope, "He's alive, and he will become a better man than me." 

"He's slaughtered...ordered the deaths of hundreds...he killed his father," he sighed, "I'm a monster." Ben Solo was buried deep down, but he was there, he brought the guilt and he held tight as it burned through him.

"No, you're a Skywalker. You're going to show the galaxy what that means. Use the wayfinder to find the sith inhabiting the Emperor's clone and destroy him. Let this be your journey towards the light." Anakin placed his fingertips on Ben's chin. Ben lifted his face as if he could feel the warmth emanating from it. "You will atone, my grandson. The light and dark is in your nature, power runs through your veins, you must use it as a force for good. This can only be done for yourself." 

The man looked up at him, not with the eyes of the tyrannical Supreme Leader, but the eyes of Ben Solo, full of guilt and remorse, a man ready to atone. 


End file.
